The government has launched the Kazi Majuu Football Tournament, a nationwide youth empowerment initiative that will use sports as a platform to educate young Kenyans on employment opportunities abroad under the Kazi Majuu programme.
Speaking during the launch in Buuri Constituency, Meru County, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu said the tournament will be rolled out across the country to bring young people together while equipping them with information on safe and legal labour migration.
Njogu said the initiative seeks to empower youths by raising awareness about overseas employment opportunities and guiding them on the correct procedures for securing jobs abroad through registered recruitment agencies and government support provided by the State Department for Diaspora Affairs and the Ministry of Labour.
“We want our young people to access overseas jobs through safe, legal and structured channels while avoiding fraudulent recruitment schemes,” she said.
The Principal Secretary revealed that more than 530,000 Kenyans have secured employment abroad over the last three and a half years.
“We kicked off the Kazi Majuu Football Tournament in Buuri, Meru, and what a day it was! More than 2,000 young people turned up, united by sport, talent and the belief that opportunity can change lives.
This tournament is about far more than football. It is about connecting talent to opportunity. It is about showing our young people that their dreams have no borders. Whether their future lies on the football field, in business, in skilled work or in the global labour market, Kenya believes in them.” Roseline Njogu Said.
She noted that the actual number could be significantly higher since many Kenyans obtain jobs overseas through private arrangements outside government systems.
She added that diaspora remittances surpassed USD 5 billion last year, up from USD 4 billion in 2022, demonstrating the growing contribution of Kenyans working abroad to the country’s economy through foreign exchange earnings and household support.
Buuri Member of Parliament Rindikiri Mugambi urged young people to enroll in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to acquire practical skills that are in high demand in international labour markets.
He noted that TVET institutions offer market-driven courses that prepare graduates for employment opportunities abroad, adding that his office, working with the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, aims to facilitate overseas employment for more than 250 youths from Buuri Constituency over this year and next year.
Principal Secretary for Forestry Gitonga Mugambi said the football tournament provides government leaders with an opportunity to engage directly with young people and educate them on various government programmes designed to improve livelihoods.
He also encouraged the youth to venture into agribusiness, particularly avocado farming, as an alternative source of income.
Mugambi announced that the State Department for Forestry will soon distribute cocoa seedlings to farmers as part of efforts to promote cocoa production and diversify agricultural income.
Director of Protocol in the Office of the Deputy President Gideon Kimathi praised the State Department for Diaspora Affairs for introducing the tournament, saying it creates an avenue for young people to discover both sporting and economic opportunities.
Kiirua United FC captain Rogers Kiogora welcomed the initiative, noting that sports have become a viable career path and a source of income for many young people.
He said tournaments such as the Kazi Majuu Football Tournament not only nurture talent but also expose promising players to scouts and professional clubs, creating opportunities for international careers while promoting awareness of government employment programmes.
